WASHINGTON (RNS)—Religious activists with a moral agenda for corporate America used to rely primarily on consumer boycotts and sympathetic lawmakers to get Wall Street's attention. But now their toolbox is growing—and there's a lot more money in it. Over the…
Progressive Baptists protest hip-hop lyrics, global warming & Iraq war
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Delegates to the annual meeting of the Progressive National Baptist Convention have called for protests of music lyrics demeaning to women and minorities. “We are speaking out publicly against the denigration of women, minorities and the kind of self-hatred…
Billy Graham’s access to Oval Office spanned 11 U.S. presidents
It doesn't take long to make a list of religious leaders who've made personal connections with each of the last 11 U.S. presidents. There's really just one name: Billy Graham. The evangelist who has spent the last six decades preaching…
Religion still ‘marginalized’ in foreign policy
WASHINGTON (RNS)—U.S. foreign policy officials have shown an increased understanding of religion's importance to American diplomacy, but the government's activities in that area display a “lack of strategic thinking” that hampers efforts abroad, according to a new report. U.S. officials…
Faith changes little over a lifetime, research reveals
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Michele Dillon and Paul Wink have interviewed scores of septuagenarians about their faith—or lack thereof—and compared their answers to those they gave during their teens and middle age. What did they discover? People really don't change much over time—religiosity…
Most Muslims worldwide say suicide bombings unjustified
WASHINGTON (RNS)—George Bush and Osama bin Laden are both losing the battle for Muslim hearts and minds, a new report shows. The Pew Global Attitudes Project, a 47-nation survey, found that rising prosperity in the Islamic world has helped slash…
Romney’s faith faces uphill fight in South Carolina primaries
WASHINGTON — Can a Mormon win the White House? It's a question on the minds of many voters watching former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — not to mention Romney's campaign itself. But for the Romney camp, the more immediate question…
Want your kids to keep faith? Take a chance on college degree
Vatican says Protestants not churches in ‘proper sense’
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on July 10 reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, calling other Christian churches defective and saying Protestant denominations are not even churches “in the proper sense.” The statement, which was “ratified and confirmed”…
Great Commission 2.0
For kids these days, Internet security is hard to come by. But for kids concerned about eternal security, the Net's precisely the place to be. Dozens of Christian groups are rethinking flannel graphs and 10 a.m. Sunday school classes, finding…
Court affirms religious obligation in case pitting sacred vs. secular
AUSTIN, Texas (RNS)—The Texas Supreme Court unanimously dismissed a suit brought by a former member of a Fort Worth church who accused her pastor of violating her confidentiality. The case centered on questions of what roles civil courts should have…
Urban population crunch prompts crowds in church
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Predictions that increased urbanization around the world would lead to a more secularized society are un-founded, and in fact the opposite may be true, according to a new report from the United Nations Population Fund. “Rapid urbanization was expected…